have travelled to obtaine that which others had better cheap, and also to that which we reserve for our discourse of Gold and Glasse, where we will declare that which shall here be left imperfect, not having attained, but by the _end of the lip_: wherefore we will take but that which is necessary to clear what the Prophets have thereupon touched in their parables and similitudes. In the first place of the two perfect gold & silver, on which they have most insisted on the good part, for the imperfect tinne, copper, and iron, they have ordinarily applyed to the worst part for vices and depravations, contumacies and durities; and lead for vexations and molestations. Gold for true beliefe, faith, piety, and religion, and in sum, all that which concernes the honour and service of God; Silver, for good and charitable works of mercy; due in respect of our neighbour. So that these two metals represent the two tables of the Decalogue. And it would not be farre from the purpose to make a trimming of the Altar. The first of gold, containing four precepts, in four azure letters, which signifieth heaven, and the other of silver in green letters, signifying the earth. _Origen_ in the 2. _Homil._ upon this text of the first of _Canticles_ (_We will make thee borders of gold, with studs of silver_,) triumpheth to allegorize the shape of gold, this (saith he) holds the figure of the invisible and incorporeall nature, (and this for that it is of a substance so homogeneall and subtill, that nothing can extend it selfe more fine) and silver, represents the vertue of the _Verb_, following that which the Lord said in the 2. of _Hosea_, _I have given you gold and silver, and you have therewith made Idols to Baal_. But we make the Holy Scripture Idols of gold and silver, when we turne the sense thereof to some perverted interpretation: or that we would Pindarize it by elegances, as if vertue consisted on the vaine flowers of Rhetoricke, for in doing this we open our mouth, as if we would swallow and suck in heaven, whilst our tongue licketh the earth, like as if the Prophet should say, _I have given you sense and reason, whereby you ought to acknowledge me for your God, and reverence me; but you have turned them aside, and therewith have made Idols_: By sense are understood the internall cogitations which represents them; and by Reason, which is λόγος the word, for it signifies the one and the other, as silver denotes, _Psal. 12. 6. the words of the Lord are pure words, as silver proved in the fire, when they say, or hold, that silver tryed in the fire, is the tongue of the just, are not my words as fire?_ But Cherubins are said to be gold, because they interpret them for the plenitude of divine Science. And the Tabernacle of the alliance is of Gold also, because it carries the type and image of the law of nature, where consisted the gold of science; so that Gold is referred to the conception and thought, and silver to the word, according to which the